Game apparatus



Sept. 8, 1942. c. u. DEATON GAME APPARATUS Filed May 19, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet l jgii 66 4M TH W ORDERS FROM HEADQUARTEILS Ship aturga a?T'Bonc infirm... CATTL ENA 0o a pease he Immih'an; w u n BOMBER 4/7 2/4/ as 64 0/7 (IA/9%? A TORNE YS.

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GAME APPARATUS Filed May 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME AP PARATUSCharles U. Deaton, Centralia, 111.

Application May 19, 1941, Serial No. 394,111

7 7 Claims. (o1. 273-434.)

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus. V r

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a game apparatus which possesses various novel andentertaining features and involves a large factor of chance.

Second, to provide a game apparatus which involves a large factor ofsurprise in playing the same embodying automatic movable parts whichcontribute to the surprise by their unpredetermined actuation.

Third, to provide a game apparatus which largely precludes manipulationby a skilled player to the disadvantage of an unskilled player.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a game apparatus embodying the features of myinvention, a portion of the top panel of the game board being brokenaway to disclose one of the actuating magnets therein and also detailsof structure.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a series of cards which may be used in theplaying of the game.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a tally or score indicating member.

Fig. 4 is a conventional view of a series of chips which may be used inplaying the game.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the game piece and thegame board taken on a line corresponding to line 55 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a plan viewof the game piece-of the embodiment of my inventionillustrated.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating certain possiblerelations of the actuatedmagnet of the game piece with the actuatingmagnets Within the game board, these magnetsin this embodimentillustrating that the direction of the actuation of the actuating magnetof the game piece depends upon its approach or positioning relative tothe actuating magnet.

In the embodiment illustrated, my improved game board designatedgenerally by the numeral 1 comprises two complemental sections 2, 2which comprise top panels 3, bottom panels 4 and border frame 5, thesepanels and border frame coacting to provide a closed chamber 6 for eachsection.

The surface ofthe board in this preferred embodiment is provided with amap design con "sisting of main land portions 1 and 8 and a plurality ofislands 9-distributed about in the water portions IEI; The landconfigurations and the disposition of the islands are such as to providerestricted water zones of various character, as ll, 12, I3, M, and IS.The land portions are provided with variously positioned place indicia,certain of the place indicia being preferably located in' portions ofthe shore-line rendered somewhat inaccessible by the configurations ofthe land and positioning of the island areas. Of course, it will beunderstood that the particular design or map outline is purelyarbitrary, Where the game board is in twoor more sections, it will beunderstoodthat the map sectionsare complementary. 4 7

Within each main board section-I provide a plurality of actuatingmembers I6, these be preferably in the form of woodjor fiber diskshaving magnets l1 setinto thesame, themagnets being preferably ofthe-polarized 'type that is, having positive and negative poles whichare indicated byN ands in Fig. '7. These actuating members are freelyshiftable withinthe chamber 6 to unpredictable positions,that is, theactuating members are, concealed, and by shaking the game board or thesections thereof when it is formed in sections, the actuating magnetsare shifted about, to positions unknown by any of the players.,It wouldof course be possible to shakerthem all to oneend oriside of the chamberbut thatwould be an unintended manipulation and even then their positionwould still be undetermined or unknown. 7

I provide for use in this connection a game piece I 8 which in thisembodiment roughly simulatesa ship, the game piece being adapted tobemanuallymanipulated on the sea or water portions of .the map orchart.In thisembodiment, the body ofthe game piece 39 is formedofplasticmaterial having a bottom 28 of fibrous material secured indownwardly facing recesses 2|, see Fig.5, in the Walls of thebodyportions provided therefor. I A

A recess 22 is formed in the upper side of the body member adapted topermit the mounting of the signalmembers 23 and124 on the pivot 25 whichis arranged through the upwardly projecting flange-like members 26 onthe body. The signal members are provided with weights 2! below theirpivots which, swing them to their erected position. A boss or raisedortion 28 on the body is slotted at 29 to receive these signal membersWhenthey are in their set position and limit the lateral swingingthereof. 'or

distortion thereof, these members being sheet metal stampings.

A trigger or detent member 30 is mounted on the vertical pivot 3| at thetop of the body and provided with a segmental detent 32 which of thegame piece about the game board surface,

the magnet 34 is brought into coacting relation to one of the actuatingmagnets, the magnet 34 will be actuated and consequentlyth triggermember actuated in one or the other direction. depending on therelationship of'the'actuating" magnets and the actuated magnet. This'Ihave indicated by arrows in the diagrammatic Fig. 7.

The detent 32 of the trigger member is ofisuch dimensions that whenswung in one direction it releases one of the signal members, retainingthe other, and when swung in the other direction the action is'reversed.The signal members are given different values, one for example beingblue and the other red. The red may, for example, be saidto indicatethat the ship has been torpedoed, and blue is given some othersignificance.

Inasmuch as thepositioning of the actuating magnets within the game'board are unknown to the players, the chanceor hazard in making aparticular voyage from' one place to another imparts great interest;amusement; and excitement in the playing of the'game. Various games maybe played both by children an'd'adults;

In Fig. 2, I illustrate a series 'of .cards 36'whi'ch bear legends orinstructions.

In Fig. 3, a scoring device 31 which isruled into sections38, numbered 1to 6, is shown; each section having indicia, as 7 to 1, 6 to 1, 5 to 1,etc., indicating values or difierentials of theiwagers placed on theparticular sections.

Colored chips 39'sh0wn in Fig. 4' are provided and any value may beascribed to the colors.

In playing the game, each player attemptato make the same voyage.Forexample,v a card is turned up from the stack of cards, these beingentitled in this illustration Orders from headquarters with suitableinstructi0ns',-thetop card in Fig. 2 bearing the instructions -Ship'acargo of T-bone steaks from 'Cattlena to appeasethe munitions workers ofBomber. That would mean that the game piece would be moved rrom' theplace designated CattIena to the place designated Bomberand the playermay pursue "any course he desires. If, in making theitrip, he movesithegame piece into operative relationto one'of-the operating magnets, hisvoyage is ended and the scoring depends on whether the red or bluesignal is released. The player places the chip hedesires on any of thesections 38'of the scoring piece 31 and if he successfully negotiatesthe trip, the dealer pays the player 7 to 1, 6 to l, or as the case maybe, dependingon" where he has placed his chip. I have usedfthe nameSubsidy for the particular game and the player is designated theGovernment. If the first player fails, the secondplayer attempts to makethe same trip and so on until one of the players has completed the tripsafely or until the trip has been tried six times. In either casea newcard. is drawn-.-

It should beunderstoodthat the map or chart or. indicia on. thesurfaceof the'gameboard may be greatly varied but a surface chart in theform of a map provides an effective way of securing a plurality ofroutes over which the game piece may be manipulated from one place toanother. The game piece can be made to simulate or represent otherobjectsfor example, airplanes or submarines, and other objects willoccur from the disclosure.

The playing of my game is entertaining and normally involvesconsiderable excitement and pleasure both for children and adults.

I have illustrated an embodiment or adaptation of my invention which Iconsider very desirable and practical. I have not attempted toillustrate other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in' the art to embody or adapt myimprovementsas may be desired.

Having'thus'described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure .by Letters Patent, is:

1. A'game apparatus comprising-a chambered game board having a playingsurface provided with a-map representing'land and water in complementalconformations providing restricted water zones between land portions,said map being provided with place indicia, some of the indicia beingassociatedwith saidrestricted water zones, a plurality" ofpolarizedactuating magnets concealed within and shiftablein said game boardchamber for unpredetermined positioning relative to the said land andwater representations and said indicia-on-said playing surface, a gamepiecesimulatinga ship adapted to be manually moved on the surface-ofsaid game board, signals pivotally mountedon said game piecein side byside relation and providedwith actuating weights, and atrigger-membervertically pivoted on said game piece and provided with asegmental signal detentadapted to be engaged with both of said signalmembers-for retaining them in cocked position and adapted to release oneof said signal members while retaining'the other and vice versa,depending onthe direction of actuation of the trigger member onits'pivot; said trigger member having a polarized' inagnet on'th'e lowerend of its pivot whereby'wh'en the game piece'is manually manipulated onthe surface of the game board and brought into actuating juxtapositionto one of said actuating magnets within'said game board chamber,

2. A game apparatus comprising a chambered game board having =1 a"playing surface provided with "a map representin'g'landand water incomple'mental conformations providing restricted water zcnes'betweenland portions, said'map"being provided with place indicia, some of thefin-' dicia being. associated -with "said'restri'cted water zones, aplurality." of 'a'ctuatin'g" magnets con cealed withinandshiftabl'e 'infsaid game board chamber for unpredetermin'edpositioning 'relative to ithe said land-and water representation and said indicia on saidplayingisurface; a game piece simulating a ship. adapted'to be manuallymoved on the surface of 'saidgame board, a signal mounted on' said gameIpiec'e andprovided with means acting j to urge it to: signaling.posi'-' tion, and a "trigger:memberpivoted on'said' game piece andprovidedwith' "a' signal detent adapted to be engaged 'with'sai'd signal'member' 'for' re-' taining. it in" cocked "position: said triggermeniber having a'magn'eton' thelower en'dof-its pivot whereby when the"game piece is manually tuatingmagnet's' Within saidgame board chain;

her, the trigger member is actuated to release the signal.

3. In a game, a chambered game board having a playing surface providedwith a plat, a plurality of actuating members of insulating materialprovided with polarized magnets, said actuating members being concealedand shiftable within said game board chamber for unpredeterminedpositioning relative to the said playing surface plat, a game pieceadapted to be manually moved on the platted surface of said game board,signals pivotally mounted on said game piece in side by side relationand provided with actuating means, and a trigger member verticallypivoted on said game piece and provided with a signal detent adapted tobe engaged with both of said signal members for retaining them in cockedposition and adapted to release one of said signal members whileretaining the other and vice versa, depending on the direction ofactuation of the trigger member on its pivot, said trigger member havinga polarized magnet on the lower end of its pivot whereby when the gamepiece is manually manipulated on the surface of the game board andbrought into actuating juxtaposition to one of said actuating magnetswithin said game board chamber,

4. In a game, a game board having a charted surface, a game pieceadapted for manual manipulation relative to such chart, a plurality ofpolarized actuating magnets shiftable for unpredetermined positioningrelative to said charted surface, signals carried by said game piece andprovided with means for actuating them to signaling position, meansconfining the movement of said magnets relative to said surface andmaintaining said magnets in operative relation to the game piece, and atrigger for said signals mounted on said game piece and adapted toretain both of them in retracted [i position or to release them one at atime depending on the direction of actuation of the trigger, the triggerbeing provided with a polarized magnet whereby when the game piece ismanipulated into actuating juxtaposition to one of said 1 actuatingmagnets, the trigger is actuated in one direction or the other dependingon the relation of its magnet to the juxtaposed magnet within the gameboard chamber.

5. In a game, a game board having indicia thereon, a game piece adaptedfor manipulation relative to such indicia, a plurality of polarizedactuating magnets shiftable for unpredetermined positioning relative tosaid indicia, a signal carried by said game piece and provided withmeans for actuating it to signaling position, means confining themovement of said magnets relative to said indicia and maintaining saidmagnets in operative relation to the game piece, a trigger for retainingsaid signal in retracted position, and a magnet for actuating thetrigger whereby when the game piece is manipulated into actuatingjuxtaposition to one of said actuating magnets, the trigger is actuated.

6. In a game, a game board having indicia thereon, a plurality ofpolarized actuating magnets shiftable relative to said indicia, a gamepiece adapted for manipulation relative to said indicia, a plurality ofsignals on said game piece provided with means for actuating them tosignaling position, means confining the movement of said magnetsrelative to said indicia and maintaining said magnets in operativerelation to the game piece, a trigger adapted to be engaged with thesignal members for retaining them in retracted position and adapted torelease said signal members one at a time, and a magnet for actuatingsaid trigger whereby when the game piece is brought into actuatingjuxtaposition to one of said actuating magnets the trigger is actuatedto release one of the signal members depending on the relation of thegame piece magnet to the juxtaposed magnet within the game boardchamber.

7. In a game, a game board having indicia on its playing surface, aplurality of actuating magnets shiftable relative to said indicia, agame piece adapted to be manipulated relative to said indicia of thesaid game board, a signal carried by said game piece and provided withmeans for actuating to signaling position, means confining the movementof said magnets relative to said indicia and maintaining said magnets inoperative relation to the game piece, a trigger for retaining saidsignal in retracted position, and a magnet for actuating said triggerwhen the game piece is manipulated into actuating juxtaposition to oneof said actuating magnets whereby the signal is released.

CHARLES U. DEATON.

